Satan – Destroyers and Snakes – their Role
1) Serpents
We all know that the Serpent (Snake, refers to the Devil) and not the ‘animal-snake’ who is also the Dragon which deceives the whole world, verses:
“Then another sign appeared in heaven: and behold, a great red dragon having seven heads and ten horns, and on his heads were seven diadems.
And his tail swept away a third of the stars of heaven and threw them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, so that when she gave birth he might devour her child.
And there was war in heaven, Michael and his angels waging war with the dragon. The dragon and his angels waged war, and they were not strong enough, and there was no longer a place found for them in heaven.
And the great dragon was thrown down, the serpent of old who is called the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him.” (Revelation 12:3 – 4, 7 – 9, NASB)
Difficult and mysterious verses indeed.
2) Foothold or Opportunity for the Devil
Now, the destroyers or devils are evil but they ‘gain a foothold’ on ‘anyone who does evil against the Will of God’:
“Neither give place to the devil.” (Ephesians 4:27, KJV)
So, as the verse above implies, when a person does something ‘against the Will of God’ (sin – ‘missing the mark’), the devil gains ‘an opportunity to attack’:
“Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” (1 Peter 5:8, NASB)
An example of ‘sin or doing something against the Will of God’ is doing something AGAINST the COMMANDS of the LORD in WRITTEN Scripture (Lawlessness):
“The one who says, “I have come to know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him;” (1 John 2:4, NASB)
3) Prosperity is NOT a sign of God’s Approval
On earth, one may ‘not realize’ it ‘being in prosperity’ despite ‘doing it against the Written Verses’ but unless God has Mercy, [afterlife] Judgment is possible due to ‘Lawlessness’ (Matthew 7:20 – 23) and the verses below too imply this:
“For I was envious of the arrogant
As I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
For there are no pains in their death,
And their body is fat.
They are not in trouble as other men,
Nor are they plagued like mankind.
Behold, these are the wicked;
And always at ease, they have increased in wealth.
When I pondered to understand this,
It was troublesome in my sight
Until I came into the sanctuary of God;
Then I perceived their end.
Surely You set them in slippery places;
You cast them down to destruction.
How they are destroyed in a moment!
They are utterly swept away by sudden terrors!” (Psalm 73:3 – 5, 12, 17 – 19, NASB)
“Come now, you rich, weep and howl for your miseries which are coming upon you. Your riches have rotted and your garments have become moth-eaten.
Your gold and your silver have rusted; and their rust will be a witness against you and will consume your flesh like fire. It is in the last days that you have stored up your treasure!
Behold, the pay of the laborers who mowed your fields, and which has been withheld by you, cries out against you; and the outcry of those who did the harvesting has reached the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth.
You have lived luxuriously on the earth and led a life of wanton pleasure; you have fattened your hearts in a day of slaughter.
You have condemned and put to death the righteous man; he does not resist you.” (James 5:1 – 6, NASB)
4) Role of Destroyers
These are spiritual forces appointed to destroy where they gain foothold on whoever who sins except if God has Mercy on that person & that person escapes as implied by the discussion prior in point 2 earlier.
The only way to ‘resist’ the Devil successfully is as follows:
“Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.” (James 4:7, NASB)
Please note that in the above verse, there are 3 steps in order as follows:
i) Submit
One has to SUBMIT to GOD first (which is achieved by OBEYING His Commands, e.g. 1 Corinthians 14:37 with 1 John 2:4).
Can you see WHY God gave Commandments and how it is actually useful to OBEY them simply because it is the FIRST required step to ‘resist the Devil successfully’?
ii) Resist
The second step is to ‘resist’ the Devil. For example, in fighting against the temptation which comes our way as it is described in verse below:
“No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it.” (1 Corinthians 10:13, NASB)
iii) Flee
Only when the above two steps are achieved, the Devil will successfully flee from you. Can we understand it as it is Written?
Why?
These are the Principles of Judgment:
“But it shall come about, if you do not obey the LORD your God, to observe to do all His commandments and His statutes with which I charge you today, that all these curses will come upon you and overtake you:
“The LORD will send upon you curses, confusion, and rebuke, in all you undertake to do, until you are destroyed and until you perish quickly, on account of the evil of your deeds, because you have forsaken Me.
“The LORD will make the pestilence cling to you until He has consumed you from the land where you are entering to possess it.
“The LORD will smite you with consumption and with fever and with inflammation and with fiery heat and with the sword and with blight and with mildew, and they will pursue you until you perish.” (Deuteronomy 28:20 – 22, NASB)
Many other curses too for ‘disobedience’ (not an exhaustive list quoted here but an instructive one):
“The LORD will smite you with the boils of Egypt and with tumors and with the scab and with the itch, from which you cannot be healed.
“The LORD will smite you with madness and with blindness and with bewilderment of heart; and you will grope at noon, as the blind man gropes in darkness, and you will not prosper in your ways; but you shall only be oppressed and robbed continually, with none to save you.
“You shall betroth a wife, but another man will violate her; you shall build a house, but you will not live in it; you shall plant a vineyard, but you will not use its fruit.” (Deuteronomy 28:27 – 30, NASB)
His Unchanging Principle in Judgment due to ‘our disobedience’ is ‘returning our own evil back to us’ (both on earth and in the afterlife as well, Isaiah 3:11, Galatians 6:7)::
“If you do not listen, and if you do not take it to heart to give honor to My name,” says the LORD of hosts, “then I will send the curse upon you and I will curse your blessings; and indeed, I have cursed them already, because you are not taking it to heart.” (Malachi 2:2, NASB)
Escape despite our sins? On whomever God has Mercy (His Choice, Romans 9:15, Exodus 33:19).
Verses regarding these ‘Destroyers’ (and Devils):
“For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.” (Ephesians 6:12, NASB)
“Thus says the LORD: “Behold, I am going to arouse against Babylon And against the inhabitants of Leb-kamai The spirit of a destroyer.” (Jeremiah 51:1, NASB)
“Though Babylon should ascend to the heavens, And though she should fortify her lofty stronghold, From Me destroyers will come to her,” declares the LORD.” (Jeremiah 51:53, NASB)
“A destroyer will come to every city, So that no city will escape; The valley also will be ruined And the plateau will be destroyed, As the LORD has said.” (Jeremiah 48:8, NASB)
The Destroyers will be Judged for their ‘wrongs too’:
“Woe to you, O destroyer, While you were not destroyed; And he who is treacherous, while others did not deal treacherously with him. As soon as you finish destroying, you will be destroyed; As soon as you cease to deal treacherously, others will deal treacherously with you.” (Isaiah 33:1, NASB)
Please note the phrase “while others did not deal treacherously with him” (Isaiah 33:1, NASB) means that these ‘destroyers’ also chose to ‘destroy the relatively-innocent’ together with the ‘treacherous’ and hence God proclaims a “Woe to these Destroyers as well!”.
Can you really see it?
This implies that the destroyers such as Satan have a ‘choice’ (Job 2:7) NOT to destroy especially the ‘non-treacherous’ (Job 2:3, Job 2:6) while destroying the ‘treacherous’ during Judgment as even Psalm 82:1 – 4 mentions regarding these ‘gods’.
Truly, God Himself play NO part in influencing EVIL at all (James 1:13) and Job was certainly RIGHTEOUS in NOT Blaming God with WRONG AT ALL even though he may not have understood it fully at that time (Job 1:22, Job 42:5 – 6, Job 42:8).
“Abaddon and Death say, ‘With our ears we have heard a report of it.’.” (Job 28:22, NASB)
“They have as king over them, the angel of the abyss; his name in Hebrew is Abaddon, and in the Greek he has the name Apollyon.” (Revelation 9:11, NASB)
If we ‘grumble’ against the LORD (e.g. toward His Commandments), we could be ‘destroyed by the destroyers’ (especially during the [afterlife] Judgment) and hence we MUST be careful with our words to ensure that we do NOT speak against the Most High and against His Holy Scripture & Commands (can you see it?):
“Nor grumble, as some of them did, and were destroyed by the destroyer.” (1 Corinthians 10:10, NASB)
“For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.” – Lord Jesus Christ (Matthew 12:37, NASB)
“But I tell you that every careless word that people speak, they shall give an accounting for it in the day of judgment.” – Lord Jesus Christ (Matthew 12:36, NASB)
“Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those who love it will eat its fruit.” (Proverbs 18:21, NASB)
These ‘past examples’ of ‘disobedience’ against His Word are given so that we may be ‘Warned’ likewise too (hence, let us be ‘wise’, Ephesians 5:15 – 16):
“Now these things happened to them as an example, and they were written for our instruction, upon whom the ends of the ages have come.” – apostle Paul (1 Corinthians 10:11, NASB)
5) Satan
There is ‘probably’ more than ‘one Satan’ where “Satan literally means Adversary”:
“If Satan has risen up against himself and is divided, he cannot stand, but he is finished!” – Lord Jesus Christ (Mark 3:26, NASB)
“But when the Pharisees heard this, they said, “This man casts out demons only by Beelzebul the ruler of the demons.”
If Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself; how then will his kingdom stand?
If I by Beelzebul cast out demons, by whom do your sons cast them out? For this reason they will be your judges.” (Matthew 12:24, 26, 27, NASB)
(i) Satan’s Role toward Unbelievers and those believers who have fallen out
Satan’s Role in Destruction eventually leads to ‘the spirit being Saved by Lord Jesus Christ’ as mentioned in verse below agreeing with 1 Peter 4:6 & John 6:39 too:
“I have decided to deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of his flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the Day of the Lord Jesus.” – apostle Paul (1 Corinthians 5:5, NASB)
The word ‘may’ does NOT exist in Greek and to understand this further, please consider the posts below for details:
https://www.anonymouschristian.org/blog/gospel-mystery-can-christ-save-hell/
https://www.anonymouschristian.org/blog/hell-is-body-soul-and-spirit-destroyed-there/
https://www.anonymouschristian.org/blog/all-created-things-and-lord-jesus-christ/
Even more regarding this, please consider:
https://www.anonymouschristian.org/blog/all-created-things-never-cast-out-upon-return/
https://www.anonymouschristian.org/blog/faq-is-it-really-all/
(ii) Satan’s Role toward believers (if the need arises which is ONLY possible if God permits it)
Satan’s Role toward some believers (even apostle Paul himself) is to be a ‘thorn’ to ‘keep him humble’ (lest he fall out from Grace too, i.e. for the ‘greater good for a believer’, Romans 8:28):
“Because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, for this reason, to keep me from exalting myself, there was given me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger [angel] of Satan to torment me– to keep me from exalting myself!” – apostle Paul (2 Corinthians 12:7, NASB)
It’s not a curse upon Paul but a ‘good thing’ in the overall totality of things (Romans 8:28). If it was possible that apostle Paul could have remained humble without the thorn in the flesh, God would have granted the request but by the looks of it that was not possible without contradicting free choices & individual freedom with regards to impartiality too (2 Corinthians 12:8 – 10).
6) Prosperity Gospel
Satan (the Devil) loves to ‘offer prosperity’ to ‘those who would bow & worship him’ (and thus this CANNOT be the PRINCIPLE of the ONE TRUE GOD WHO must be in OPPOSITE to Satan’s ways, can you see?) as verse below describes so clearly:
“Again, the devil took Him to a very high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory; and he said to Him, “All these things I will give You, if You fall down and worship me.” (Matthew 4:8 – 9, NASB)
Prosperity Gospel is basically ‘promising money or wealth or material blessings’ for ‘choosing Christ’. Such a concept is NOT found in Scripture. Where is the verse which says this?
Don’t you know that the ONLY part of the Abrahamic Blessing inherited by Gentile believers as ‘blessing’ (Galatians 3:29) is the ‘promise of spiritual blessings ONLY’ and it is NOT inclusive of ‘any material blessings’ as it is WRITTEN in Verses below (without any adding/removing from His Holy Word):
“For if the inheritance is based on law, it is no longer based on a promise; but God has granted it to Abraham by means of a promise.” (Galatians 3:18, NASB)
“to be specific, that the Gentiles are fellow heirs and fellow members of the body, and fellow partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel,” (Ephesians 3:6, NASB)
“For Macedonia and Achaia have been pleased to make a contribution for the poor among the saints in Jerusalem. Yes, they were pleased to do so, and they are indebted to them. For if the Gentiles have shared in their spiritual things, they are indebted to minister to them also in material things” (Romans 15:26 – 27, NASB)
“But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God; for He has prepared a city for them.” (Hebrews 11:16, NASB)
“And all these, having gained approval through their faith, did not receive what was promised,” (Hebrews 11:39, NASB)
“Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware.
Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit.” (1 Corinthians 12:1, 4, NASB)
Can’t you see it?
Basically, the “Promise” through Abraham (Acts 3:25) is Lord Jesus Christ Who Restores ALL things (i.e. All Creation eventually, Romans 8:20 – 21) as Prophesied in Acts 3:21 itself (Context with Acts 3:25, consecutive verses) —> which includes (but is NOT limited to) the ‘spiritual gifts’ (1 Corinthians 12) —> where believers among Gentiles also obtain it together with believing Jews (Ephesians 3:6) —> and thus Gentile believers are supposed to help in ‘material things’ toward the ‘poor saints in Jerusalem’ (Jewish, implied, Romans 15:26) as Gentiles are indebted to them for inheriting the ‘spiritual blessings’ (ONLY mentioned explicitly in all generality in Romans 15:27).
Furthermore, the Hebrews Chapter of Faith seals this Biblical Truth IRREFUTABLY as follows:
Please notice that ‘rich Abraham’ (Hebrews 11:17) to ‘poor saints living in caves of the ground’ (Hebrews 11:38) —> are approved for their ‘faith’ which has NOTHING to do with MONEY or EARTHLY MATERIAL PROSPERITY (yes, please note the phrase “gained approval through their faith” in Hebrews 11:39, NASB) —> and we know this for sure IRREFUTABLY by the phrase “did not receive what was promised” in this SAME verse too (Hebrews 11:39, NASB).
Did you MISS it just like the ‘prosperity Gospel preachers’?
Please allow me to explain:
The phrase “did NOT receive what was PROMISED” (Hebrews 11:39) —> means that they died ‘believing this in faith’ without receiving this PROMISE (Hebrews 11:13) —-> where this PROMISE is the one mentioned Prophetically in Acts 3:25, Galatians 3:18, Galatians 3:29 etc. (please note the word PROMISE in these Verses too which is inclusive of Acts 3:21 toward ‘ALL things or ALL creation as well’, Colossians 1:16 with Colossians 1:20 & Romans 8:20 – 21) —> and so, it does NOT refer to any of the EARTHLY MATERIAL BLESSINGS which some of them have received whilst on earth such as ‘rich Abraham’.
Why?
I repeat, because if the ‘Abrahamic Blessing’ is ‘inclusive’ of ‘material blessings’ as ‘prosperity Gospel preachers claim’, —-> then they did RECEIVE a part of this PROMISE on EARTH —> which clearly CONTRADICTS the phrase “did NOT receive what was PROMISED” (Hebrews 11:39) —-> and the phrase “All these died in faith, WITHOUT RECEIVING the PROMISES, but having seen them and having welcomed them from a distance” (Hebrews 11:13, NASB) —–> making the Prosperity Gospel Promise as a False Teaching for sure!
Besides that, let’s not forget the explicit mention of the phrase “spiritual blessings” (in Romans 15:27) which ‘Gentile believers’ are specifically mentioned to inherit from the ‘Jewish Promise of Abraham’ (implied, obviously) —> and that’s why these Gentile believers are mentioned to help the “poor” Jewish saints in Jerusalem with ‘material blessings’ (Romans 15:26).
Can’t you see the fact that the ‘poor Jewish saints’ themselves did NOT inherit the ‘prosperity Gospel promise if it exists’ as it is mentioned in Romans 15:26 so clearly.
Do you dare say that these “poor [Jewish] saints in Jerusalem” did NOT have ‘enough faith for prosperity’ in the same way some of your pastors insult the poor likewise in their congregations and favour their rich believers?
That would be a false claim since Holy Scripture (and NOT the opinion of any man) mentions that these “poor [Jewish believers in Jerusalem]” were NOT ‘normal believers’ but rather are mentioned as “saints”, —-> yes SAINTS, which means that their ‘faith is at a very high level, right?’ (but still “no” material prosperity, can you see? because “no” such material prosperity is promised to ‘a believer’ generally). Yes, please note the words “poor” and “saints” in Romans 15:26 to realize this Truth.
Preaching the Gospel to mean “that godliness is a means of gain” (gain = material blessings, wealth, money) is FALSE as it is implied from 1 Timothy 6:5 as well (agreeing with Luke 12:15) —> and Truth is, we as ‘believers’ can make prayer requests for ‘wealth’ too (Philippians 4:6) but whether we get ‘wealth or poverty’ in return (Philippians 4:12, either way) we are to ‘accept it’ (Philippians 4:13) —> and thank God for it, either way in ‘all things’ (implied, 1 Thessalonians 5:18) as this is the ‘Will of God as mentioned in this Verse, right?’ —> as this is the meaning and secret of ‘contentment’ (Philippians 4:11) as apostle Paul preached elsewhere too as part of the ‘True Gospel’ in this aspect (1 Timothy 6:6, Luke 3:14, 1 Timothy 6:8, Hebrews 13:5, 1 Timothy 6:9 – 10).
In other words, if prosperity comes, so be it and if not, so be it as well as FAITH in GOD has NOTHING to do with MONEY and PROSPERITY.
Also the ‘spiritual blessings’ (gifting, 1 Corinthians 12) or other gifts too say, for example say in Music (Ephesians 4:8) —-> are part of the “powers of the age to come” (Hebrews 6:5), yes even relating to the “ages to come” as well (Ephesians 2:7) which we experience a ‘taste of it here’ having NOT receiving it fully either as implied by these verses together with Hebrews 11:39 & Hebrews 11:16 as well.
CONCLUSION
True Doctrine vs False Teaching
NO Teaching a Different Doctrine than apostle Paul
“If anyone advocates a different doctrine and does not agree with sound words, those of our Lord Jesus Christ, and with the doctrine conforming to godliness,
he is conceited and understands nothing; but he has a morbid interest in controversial questions and disputes about words, out of which arise envy, strife, abusive language, evil suspicions,
and constant friction between men of depraved mind and deprived of the truth, who suppose that godliness is a means of gain.” (1 Timothy 6:3 – 5, NASB)
For example: the New Testament Commands of the Lord (1 Corinthians 14:37) make up the ONLY ‘sound doctrine’ (Titus 2:1) and NOT ‘what preachers speak that which is NOT Written’ (2 Timothy 4:3) and yes, we are Commanded to speak the SAME thing ONLY as apostle Paul preached (1 Corinthians 1:10) —> and those living it to ‘his exact pattern of doctrine’ ONLY are to be followed as ‘leaders’ (1 Corinthians 11:1, Philippians 3:17, 1 Corinthians 11:2, 2 Thessalonians 2:15, 1 Thessalonians 1:7, 1 Thessalonians 4:1) —> and those ‘preaching and teaching this doctrine’ are specially commended (1 Timothy 5:17).
Please understand that the FALSE TEACHING in this New Testament Covenant till the ‘end of this age” is ANYTHING which goes AGAINST what is WRITTEN in NEW TESTAMENT Scripture (the ONLY Biblical Context & the WARNINGS against those who teach CONTRARY to Holy Scripture is SERIOUS, example verses: 1 Timothy 6:3, Galatians 1:8, 2 John 1:10, 1 Timothy 1:3, 1 Peter 4:11, 2 Corinthians 11:4).
Yes, apostle Paul himself ‘repeats this curse’ against anyone who teaches CONTRARY or DIFFERENTLY or AGAINST the Gospel to the Gentiles as he preached in Galatians 1:9. Can’t we see that this is SERIOUS?
“As we have said before, so I say again now, if any man is preaching to you a gospel contrary to what you received, he is to be accursed [anathema]!” – apostle Paul (Galatians 1:9, NASB)
Yes, this is so clear in Verses below too:
“Now I urge you, brethren, keep your eye on those who cause dissensions and hindrances contrary to the teaching which you learned, and turn away from them.” – apostle Paul (Romans 16:17, NASB)
“But if one is inclined to be contentious, we have no other practice, nor have the churches of God.” – apostle Paul (1 Corinthians 11:16, NASB)
“for God is not a God of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints.” – apostle Paul (1 Corinthians 14:33, NASB)
Isn’t the letter in Corinthians which includes the ‘Commands of the Blessed Lord’ (1 Corinthians 14:37) is directed ‘in this manner’ (proving ‘no’ alternate manner is allowed either) toward ALL the churches as mentioned so clearly in Verse below (and not the Corinthians church only as the word ‘churches’ in 1 Corinthians 11:16 or the phrase ‘ALL the churches of the saints’ in 1 Corinthians 14:33 imply too?):
“Only, as the Lord has assigned to each one, as God has called each, in this manner let him walk. And so I direct in all the churches.” – apostle Paul (1 Corinthians 7:17, NASB)
Now, if your ‘pastors’ do NOT respect NOR accept the authority of apostle Paul in obeying and teaching these commands in his letters as it is Written —> then why should I follow ‘your pastor’ instead of apostle Paul? —> is it because your denomination has 68 million believers? Don’t you know that your rival denomination has about 1 billion believers with more charity works than you guys and are probably are going to an eternal Hell too right despite ‘your hypocritical pretense of saying, don’t know, right?’ —-> If ‘non-believers’ are going to an ‘eternal hell’ with NO hope ever at all (as your denominations claim) despite ‘their charity works’ and even in ‘giving money to your ministries too’, what’s the big deal that ‘you’ are NOT saved by ‘your charity works either’ and are ‘condemned by teaching all these AGAINST New Testament Verses espeially apostle Paul’s?’
(God can have Mercy on whomever He Wills)
Please ‘think’ Correctly according to Written Scripture ONLY if you are “really” SOLA SCRIPTURA. In other words, you cannot ‘claim Sola Scriptura’ by ‘your mouth’ and then ‘preach exactly against New Testament Verses such as 1 Timothy 2:12 or 1 Corinthians 11:5 or 1 Corinthians 14:34’. More details regarding this, please consider the write-ups below for edification:
https://www.anonymouschristian.org/blog/church-order-or-disorder/
https://www.anonymouschristian.org/blog/sins-of-the-church-verses-numbered-2820-deep-messages/
https://www.anonymouschristian.org/blog/female-roles-strange-modern-teachings-faq-women-leadership/
Despite ‘our ugliness in sins’, God Remains Good and Perfect as Always:
https://www.anonymouschristian.org/blog/happy-fathers-day/
Yes, ‘all’ Hope is NEVER Lost in Christ, the Blessed Saviour of the World!
https://www.anonymouschristian.org/blog/faq-is-it-really-all/
Regarding ‘topics’ which are not found in New Testament Scripture, one ‘may decide for themselves which is right’ (Luke 12:57). It’s as simple as that.
‘Remember, only the Devil teaches contrary to New Testament Verses as it is Written’ – Anonymous
Peace to you
